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Museums Victoria Collections
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CULTURAL SENSITIVITY MESSAGE – Please read

First Peoples visitors please be aware that this website contains images, voices or names of deceased persons.

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Certain records contain language or include depictions that are offensive both culturally and generally.

These records are not the current views of Museums Victoria and are not appropriate.

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Shining Bright: Treasures of the Numismatics Collection at Museums Victoria

Museums Victoria's numismatics collection is the most important of its kind in Australia, and the collection of Australian coins is the most significant in the world. This display of famous Australian coins, brilliant ancient coins, and beautiful French art medals includes some of the stunning treasures in the collection. Now on show at Melbourne Museum.

Shining Bright: Treasures of the Numismatics Collection article Shining Bright: Treasures of the Numismatics Collection Numismatics - the collection and study of coins, tokens and medals - was amongst the earliest public collections in Victoria and part of the 1861 Victorian Exhibition on William Street, Melbourne. The numismatics collection was ...
Power & Wealth - Treasures of the Ancient Coin Collection article Power & Wealth - Treasures of the Ancient Coin Collection The ancient Greek and Roman empires stretched far across the Mediterranean and beyond. Borrowing the idea of coins from Asia Minor, they used coins to promote their rulers, achievements, and the gods that protected them. The coins ...
Famous Australian Coins - Treasures of the Australian Coin Collection article Famous Australian Coins - Treasures of the Australian Coin Collection Being on an island far away from their known world of Europe, Australia's early European colonists had to make do with the coins they brought with them. Occasionally they imported foreign coins to expand the circulation. Later, ...
Medals As Art - Treasures of the French Art Medals Collection article Medals As Art - Treasures of the French Art Medals Collection Bronze medals and plaques minted in France and Belgium in the late 19th and early 20th centuries show artistic expression while not necessarily commemorating military or sporting achievements. More than shiny discs of metal, they ...

Explore our collection

Explore a wealth of collections and research about natural sciences, history, technology and First Peoples from Museums Victoria in Australia.

Closeup of old typewritter keys Articles 2,393 Read about people, places, events, and our collections
Brass pocket compass sundial Items 114,630 Things made and used by people
Closeup shot of a butterfly Specimens 1,306,194 Animals, fossils, and rocks in our collections
Closeup of blue coloured bird Species 1,540 Read about some animals you might see in the wild

Explore the collection on display

Closeup of a taxidermied owl Melbourne Museum
Closeup of a robot Scienceworks
Illustrated impression of a ship on water Immigration Museum
Moving sculpture lit up by stage lights Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre

Recently modified

Coin - Testoon, Mary, Scotland, 1557 item NU 1757 Coin - Testoon, Mary, Scotland, 1557
Numismatics & Philately
Silver coin; Denomination: Testoon Edinburgh mint Mary (1542-1567) The testoon was current at 5 shillings. This coin was called in by James VI in 1578 due to an increase in the value of silver. It was ...
Coin - Demy, James I, Scotland, 1406-1437 item NU 1729 Coin - Demy, James I, Scotland, 1406-1437
Numismatics & Philately
Gold coin; Denomination Demy Edinburgh Mint (possible) James I (1406-1437) The demy was current at 9 shillings. Its name is thought to be derived from it having the same value in Scotland as the English ...
Coin - Ducat, James V, Scotland, 1540 item NU 1743 Coin - Ducat, James V, Scotland, 1540
Numismatics & Philately
Gold coin; Denomination: Ducat Edinburgh mint James V (1513-1542), Third Coinage The ducat, also called a 'Bonnet piece' was current at 40 shillings.
Audio Recording - Interview with Nan Bray, Invisible Farmer Project, Oatlands, Tasmania, 18 Jan 2018 item HT 56183 Audio Recording - Interview with Nan Bray, Invisible Farmer Project, Oatlands, Tasmania, 18 Jan 2018
Working Life & Trades, Sustainable Futures
Interview with Nan Bray by Catherine Forge on 18th January 2018 in Oatlands, Tasmania. Original Recording. In this interview, Nan reflects on the key values that have shaped her approach ...
Audio Recording - Interview with Marlee Langfield, Invisible Farmer Project, Cowra, NSW, 22 Oct 2018 item HT 56182 Audio Recording - Interview with Marlee Langfield, Invisible Farmer Project, Cowra, NSW, 22 Oct 2018
Working Life & Trades, Sustainable Futures
Interview with Marlee Langfield by Catherine Forge on 22nd October 2018 in Cowra, New South Wales. Original Recording. In this interview, Marlee reflects on her strong family connection ...
Diamond specimen M 25534 Diamond
Mineralogy
Specimen formCrystal(s)ClassNative ElementsGroupNA
Photograph - H.V. McKay, Factory Workers, Ballarat, Victoria, 1904 item MM 17406 Photograph - H.V. McKay, Factory Workers, Ballarat, Victoria, 1904
Images & Image Making, Sustainable Futures
Photograph is located in an album: Volume No. 3: "Miscellaneous: H.V. McKay Ballarat, Sunshine Factories & Products; Maps, Plans & Charts; Passport Photographs; 1904-1945", page 21. This ...
<em>Ceryle rudis leucomelanurus</em> specimen 54698 Ceryle rudis leucomelanurus
Ornithology
Common namePied KingfisherSpecimen natureMountHigher taxonomyChordata, Aves, CoraciiformesCollectedIndia
<em>Eopsaltria australis australis</em> specimen B 21487 Eopsaltria australis australis
Ornithology
Common nameEastern Yellow RobinSpecimen natureMountHigher taxonomyChordata, Aves, PasseriformesCollectedAustralia, Victoria
<em>Petroica phoenicea</em> specimen B 21563 Petroica phoenicea
Ornithology
Common nameFlame RobinSpecimen natureMountHigher taxonomyChordata, Aves, PasseriformesCollectedAustralia, Victoria
<em>Stilpnia larvata</em> (du Bus de Gisignies, 1846) specimen 61369 Stilpnia larvata (du Bus de Gisignies, 1846)
Ornithology
Common nameGolden-hooded TanagerSpecimen natureMountHigher taxonomyChordata, Aves, Passeriformes
<em>Promerops cafer</em> specimen 25899 Promerops cafer
Ornithology
Common nameCape SugarbirdSpecimen natureMountHigher taxonomyChordata, Aves, PasseriformesCollectedSouth Africa

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About us

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  • Staff directory
  • Corporate documents
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Collections & research

  • Explore our collection
  • Journals
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Careers

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Our museums

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  • Scienceworks
  • Immigration Museum
  • Royal Exhibition Building
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  • IMAX Melbourne
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Melbourne Museum

Open daily 9am to 5pm

11 Nicholson Street, Carlton

Bookings and general enquiries 13 11 02

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Museums Victoria acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Boon Wurrung Bunurong peoples of the eastern Kulin Nations where we work, and First Peoples across Victoria and Australia.

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